Counting stars
by TheMagnaka
Summary: The world is different. Merlin had found his way over the centuries and through the galaxies. When finally back in Earth the messagebird finds him. But it is too late? Merlin AU, scifi, future, reincarnation.


**Counting stars**

_The world is different. Merlin had found his way over the centuries and through the galaxies. When finally back in Earth the messagebird finds him. But it is too late?_

_Merlin AU, scifi, future, reincarnation. _

The path he follows is familiar.

The lake beside him haunts in his dreams.

He had been gone so long.

Too long.

He's not young anymore. There is more years on his shoulders than anyone he knows. That he remember.

Oh, there is some men, one woman he had met over the years and years after again and again.

Some of them are his mortal enemies, some his dearests friends. Some he had met only briefly, not knowing them enough to know where to stood with them.

There is only one he can trust. Who is bit older than even him. Sometimes he hates him. Like now, calling him to come where he hates to be most.

Remembrance of the past.

He's not looking old today, he appearance more younger. Not like he was before, when…

He stops, noticing that his hand is trembling.

Old injury. The scar is still there even after these years. Long, white, starting beside his left ring finger and following up his arm.

He hoped then, oh he had hoped so much. But after that he had realized that there was nothing to him but wait.

But he realized that he didn't have to wait here. He felt alive first time in century.

So he travelled.

Travelled far.

There was time when the human race finally went to the stars. And he went with them.

Travelled further than anyone else.

But he came back.

Back where the rest of the humanity still stood. Changed, but still so human.

They lived longer now. There wasn't so many of them now. There were others too, walking beside them. Some of them more like he. Travellers from their own worlds seeking out of their own path, own future.

Somedays he didn't felt so lonely anymore.

That there was some who knew what it was like.

To be sad old man.

To never be free.

To feel these feelings.

To held back, to bite back hard the anger he felt.

But lately he'd been losing sleep.

Dreaming about the things he had hoped to come true ages ago. Waking up crying. Hope, fear, everything messed up in these dreams.

And then he got the message. It came with one of those mechanicals birds that came back Earth with the adrans. Landing on his ship's deck and creating panic among his crew. It was almost destroyed before he got chance to get the note. After that the bird had stayed with him. It was lot smaller than normal _adbird_, only about twenty centimeter high and looked like owl.

Feeling bit nostalgic he had named it Archimedes. Wenya had rolled her eyes when she heard it, but he didn't care. The crew adopted the bird easily after that. He heard its hoot not far behind him, watching his back like a guard dog.

"_Come. Hurry."_

That was it. The message. No name, nothing. But he knew. Who else got his hands in adbird?

"Trap", Noran had said, not looking so happy, but he ignored the warning. _He knew._

_Avalon._

Something was wrong. So he left everything to his apprentice, who looked at him like he was crazy to leave when everything was in critical point.

Now that he had some time to think of it, it should had been so clear to see.

_Of course _it was Avalon and that prat of kings.

Everything what happened to him lead him _here_.

To this point.

Always.

_Have I come blind? Blind to see his return? Been too busy?_

_Did I forgot?_

No, it wasn't that. Everything what he did, he did for him. His magic, his being was for him.

So, someone was behind all of this.

Behind his blindness to see.

And the anger increased.

How?

Who?

Why?

Oh, he was going to guess. The name behind all these present events.

He bit his lower lip, cursing silently. Turned to watch the lake and the mist upon it.

It was heavy today. The mist like a blanket over the water. Was Freya still there? Waiting? Watching?

He wasn't sure did he really wanted to know, but he had a gut feeling that he was going to find out. Wanted he or not.

He just hoped that he would be ready. Preyed that the gods were still there with every step that he would take now. Take him to the finish line. End this all.

And there he stood, at the gates of Avalon. He had walked through the cities of stars, been alone among the stars. But now it was time to walk the last path of his life.

_He knew._

He wanted to cry, to yell out his anger and fear, but he bottled it deep inside of him like always. Now it wasn't time to that. He had been lost, now he had been found, there was a way in front of him. Still he was scared. Scared to know. What if...

He heard some steps and sounds of crushing leaves under heavy boots. The hoot of Archimedes' was clear when it fly over him to meet its owner.

"Hello Arc, I see that you made him come."

Arc. Archimedes. He led out the sigh. Of course he had used that name to name the odd adbird. So he turned and smiled. Watched the man who never changed. The light red curly hair and warm smile. Tone ever so serious. For a moment he forgot everything else, spread his arms and grinned.

"Hello Leon. I'm back."

_AN_

_No, english isn't my language. Don't kill me. I'm not looking beta right now._

_Anyone who likes this, I'm asking._

_Do I continue or not?_

_Do you want to know what kind of world there is waiting?_

_Romance or bromance between Arthur and Merlin?_

_I promise action and angst. _

_Inspiration from song Behind blue eyes and one of the fanvideo I saw. Thank you. _


End file.
